Scholars' Satisfaction with Digital Library Collection and Gaps in the Provision of Effective Information Resources and Services: A Pakistani Perspective

Khan, Amjid; Ahmed, Shamshad; Masrek, Mohamad Noorman

Journal of Electronic Resources Librarianship, v26 n4 p250-267 2014

The study aims to explore the researchers' satisfaction with digital library resources and services and how they improved the research culture in Pakistani universities. A descriptive survey method was employed to achieve objectives of this study. Using stratified random sampling, for this survey we selected 14 public sector universities of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan with different disciplines. The study reveals that the respondents recognized the usefulness of e-databases, e-books, open access e-books, and open access e-journals, respectively, for their research needs. The respondents were satisfied with the authenticity of information, file formats, interface(s), and file downloading speed. They were dissatisfied, however, with the support of library staff to help them in the use of these resources and services. The findings of this study are valuable for university library authorities, policymakers, and LIS professionals, both in Pakistan as well as in other countries with the same resources and services. The results of this study will also be useful for academic libraries to provide effective information resources and services, and to meet the information needs of researchers on a priority basis. The findings suggest subscribing to e-resources and Information Literacy programs in order to maximize research scholars' success, and to enable them to contribute to the promotion of research endeavors in a developing country like Pakistan.